Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1)

by Jannine Gallant

  “No offense, but your boss sounds like a tyrant.” He gritted his teeth. “And a bitch.”

  “None taken. She kind of is, but she knows my breaking point and never pushes me past it. Not yet, anyway.” Her tone held a grim edge.

  “This sucks, Raine. I really wanted to spend more time together.”

  “Me, too, but it seems like we both have a lot going on. Actually, I should get back to work right now. I’m meeting clients shortly, and I have to get my presentation organized.”

  “Okay.” He let out a frustrated breath. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Sure. Bye, Levi.”

  “Bye.” He disconnected, laid his phone on the counter, and swore softly. This was not the way he’d pictured the next few weeks playing out when he’d left Raine in Yosemite. But maybe it’s what he should have expected. They weren’t a part of each other’s lives, and the knowledge filled him with regret.

  * * * *

  Raine juggled the bag of groceries, her purse, and her computer case as she pulled what looked like mostly bills from her mailbox. “Typical.” Pocketing her keys, she frowned when a package with her name on it left beside the potted palm beneath the stairs caught her attention. “Strange. I didn’t order anything.”

  “Need some help?”

  Turning, she smiled at Fred, the older gentleman who lived in one of the first-floor apartments. With his neatly trimmed, white beard and penchant for wearing red cardigans, he reminded her of Santa Claus.

  “Hi, Mr. Trimble. Actually, yes. If you could tuck that package under my arm, I think I can make it upstairs in one trip.”

  “Happy to oblige.” He secured the large mailer beneath her elbow. “I’d walk up with you, but I’m on my way to my bridge club, and I’m already running late.”

  “No problem. Have a nice evening.”

  “You, too, Raine.”

  Holding the package clamped against her side, she hurried up two flights of stairs to her apartment, managed to extract her keys to flip the lock, and shut the door behind her. Letting the mailer fall to the floor, she walked into the kitchenette to set her groceries on the counter. After putting chicken breasts, eggs, and assorted veggies in the fridge, she retrieved the package and ripped it open.

  A letter lay atop a stack of pale green T-shirts with the Wildlife Rehabilitation logo on the front. Opening the note, she scanned the contents, thanking the members of Leave No Trace for their participation in raising just shy of twenty thousand dollars for the charity.

  “That’s freaking awesome!”

  Dropping onto the couch, she eyed the ten T-shirts, and her gratification in their accomplishment faded. If Cooper hadn’t gone on the hike, there was a good chance he would still be alive today. Telling herself the killer would have created another opportunity if he or she wanted him dead badly enough didn’t ease any of her guilt. As an added bonus, speculating about which of her friends might be capable of murder made her stomach churn and her chest ache.

  “I hate this.” She rubbed the back of her neck, wondering if Detective Gilbert was any closer to making an arrest. It had been nearly a week since she’d heard from him when she’d called about the trackers being stolen. Not that she expected him to update her, but—”

  Her cell rang, jarring her out of her morose thoughts. Pulling it from her purse, she swiped to connect without bothering to look at the screen, happy for any distraction.

  “Hello.”

  “Raine, it’s Ava.”

  She tightened her grip on the phone. “How are you holding up?”

  “Honestly, not well. Cooper’s family is having a memorial service for him the day after tomorrow. I thought you’d want to know.”

  Raine slumped against the cushions, and her throat tightened. “I’d like to pay my respects. Cooper and I might have had our differences, but I—” She broke off and cleared her throat. “I owe him that much at the very least. Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Actually, yes. You can contact the rest of the group from the hike. I’ll text you the details about the service.” Ava’s voice cracked. “I don’t want to talk to anyone right now, especially knowing . . .”

  When her voice trailed off, Raine gritted her teeth to keep from blurting out what they were both obviously thinking. One of the others had murdered Cooper.

  That thought was too horrible to even contemplate right now. “I’ll let them all know. I’m sure a few will want to attend.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Take care, Ava. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” She disconnected and let out a long breath. When her phone dinged, she glanced at the screen. The service was at two in the afternoon at the Catholic Church in Mill Valley.

  The beginning of a headache nagged at her temples, probably hunger induced, but the thought of preparing a meal held zero appeal. Nor did she really want to talk to any of her friends about Cooper’s service.

  “Screw it. I’ll just text them.”

  Except Levi. She’d call him. They hadn’t talked over the weekend since she’d busted her butt all day Saturday to keep the huge wedding running smoothly, despite a neurotic bride. And when she’d finally called him back on Sunday after organizing an impromptu garden party Moselle had sprung on her at the last minute, he hadn’t answered.

  She sent a group text out a few minutes later and responded to several follow-up questions. Rosa, Bobby B, and Matt indicated they planned to attend. Jake and Willow sent their regrets, and Camille was on the fence.

  After firing off a couple more texts in answer to questions about the investigation—apparently no one in the group was any better informed than she was—she called Levi. Just before voicemail picked up, he answered.

  “Hey, Raine.” His voice was slightly breathless.

  “Hey, yourself. How’s everything? Did your sister-in-law have her baby yet?”

  “No, she’s still giant. Actually, I’m out on a run right now.”

  “Oh.” She rose to her feet and walked over to the window to stare out at the city lights as darkness settled over the bay. “Isn’t it kind of late for running?”

  “I have a headlamp.” The faint slap of footfalls stopped. “I was too busy to go earlier, and I’m not running far. Only twenty miles out and back.”

  “You’re crazy. Do you want to call me later?”

  “Nope. I have cell service, and I don’t mind taking a break. Is everything okay?”

  “I suppose.” She leaned her forehead against the glass, the cold surface sending a chill through her. “Ava called. They’re holding a memorial for Cooper on Wednesday afternoon. I told her I’d go.”

  He let out a sigh. “Cooper and I weren’t close, but I’d like to pay my respects. I’ll talk to Dalton and Ursula and see what they think about me driving down for the day.”

  “I’m not going to lie. Having you there would make an awful day a little more bearable. Some of the others from our hike are going. Bobby B, Rosa, and Matt, for sure.”

  “Then I’ll try my best to come. We can probably work out some sort of contingency plan if Ursula goes into labor while I’m gone.”

  “At least I already had the day off. My only one this week.” She straightened her spine and stepped away from the window. “I should let you get back to your run.”

  “I can run and talk.” The footsteps started up again. “How was your weekend?”

  “Insanely busy? Yours?”

  “Good. I took a few of our guests on some really terrific hikes and finished several repairs around the lodge.” His breathing came a little faster. “Last night, I went out for a beer with a couple of buddies.”

  Apparently, that’s where he’d been when she’d called the evening before. Just because she had no social life didn’t mean he sat home alone every night. It was her own damn fault if she let her job rule her world.

  “Sounds fun.”

  “We had a good time, but I’d rather hang out with you. Too bad my only chance to see you is
at a funeral.”

  “That really does suck. I’ll talk to my boss about my overloaded schedule.”

  “If she’s smart, she’ll give you whatever you want. Seems to me, you’re irreplaceable.”

  Raine’s smile was grim. “I guess we’ll find out.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Oh, good. You’re here. I was going to call you.” The rapid-fire words came at her with all the finesse of a drill sergeant. “Something’s come up, and I’ll need you to work today.”

  Raine turned slowly away from her desk to face her boss. She’d only stopped by the office because she’d forgotten the mileage data from the hike. Levi had asked to see the numbers after the memorial.

  “I’m afraid I can’t, Moselle. I’m attending a service for the friend who died on our backpacking trip.”

  A frown furrowed the woman’s brow as she pressed her full lips painted deep maroon into a tight line. “That’s inconvenient. First the break-in, and now this. That trip was a mistake all the way around.”

  Moselle Picard was on the downhill side of fifty but could easily pass for forty. Impeccably made up, she wore her shiny black hair in a short, asymmetrical bob. Model tall and rail thin, her designer suit had probably cost more than Raine made in a month.

  “Especially for Cooper.” She clenched her fists at her sides.

  “Do you think you could be back here by three? I completely forgot I agreed to set up a sweet-sixteen party for an old friend’s daughter. Nothing elaborate, and the event doesn’t start until seven, so you should have enough time to prepare.”

  Raine squeezed her fingers until her knuckles throbbed. “I can’t. A friend is driving down for the memorial, and we have plans afterward. Today is my day off, Moselle.”

  Her boss’s dark eyes flashed with annoyance. “Days off aren’t set in stone. I thought you needed the overtime.”

  “I do, but if I put in twelve-hour days without a break, I’m going to crack. Maybe you can handle the party this evening.”

  “That’s why I have you. If you can’t—” She broke off, obviously realizing she’d gone too far.

  “You talked about getting more help. I think it’s time you did.”

  Moselle leaned against the doorframe and studied her closely. “If I hire someone else, that would cut into your hours. You said you were having trouble paying your rent, as it is.”

  She’d mentioned her situation in the hopes of getting a raise. That hadn’t happened. All her anger over the unreasonable demands on her time, along with her unmet expectations—repressed for far too long—boiled over. Before she could tamp down her feelings, she let them fly.

  “You’re right. The situation I’m in isn’t working for me. My expenses are too high, my compensation isn’t even close to what I deserve for the work I do, and I don’t have time for any sort of personal life. Since I don’t see any hope of improvement, I believe it’s time for me to move on.”

  Her boss’s eyes widened. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one else in this business is going to pay you more than I do.”

  “Maybe not, but I can’t continue like this.”

  “Then find a roommate. If you’re twisting my arm for a raise, I can maybe bump you up five percent, but—”

  Raine controlled the urge to roll her eyes. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about moving out of the city for a while now. The last few years have been enlightening, and I hope, beneficial to both of us. But consider this my two weeks’ notice.”

  “You can’t drop this on me at the beginning of the summer season.” Moselle’s voice rose. “I have too many events coming up.”

  “Then you might want to consider hiring two new assistants. Not everyone is willing to work the hours I’ve been logging.” She folded the paper with the mileage totals and stuffed it into her purse. “I have to go.”

  “You’ll regret this when you’ve calmed down. What are you going to do? Move back to the farm where you grew up to shovel shit and milk cows? We both know that isn’t the life you want.”

  “No, it isn’t.” She brushed by the other woman. “I left my past behind me once. I can do it again to build a better future. I’ll see you tomorrow, Moselle.”

  “I’d tell you not to bother coming in, but the satisfaction wouldn’t be worth the hassle. I’ll hold you to the two-week commitment.”

  Raine didn’t bother to answer. She sped through the conference room and out the front door, afraid her shaking legs would give out before she reached the sidewalk. Shutting the door behind her, she leaned against it. “What the hell did I just do?”

  When her cell rang, she nearly dropped it as she pulled the phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. On the third ring, she managed to swipe to connect. “Hi, Levi.”

  “Hey, Raine. I should be there in about forty minutes if the traffic doesn’t get much worse. Do you want to meet for lunch before the memorial?”

  “Sure.” She let out a ragged breath. “I just quit my job.”

  “What?”

  “I quit. Moselle pissed me off, and I lost it. Gave her two weeks’ notice. The enormity of the move is just beginning to set in.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, wow. I’m not impulsive. I’m methodical. My backup plan has a backup plan. I’m feeling a little lightheaded.”

  “In a good way?” His tone was cautious. “Like a burden has been lifted?”

  “More like the world is spinning, and I have nothing to grab onto.”

  “You can hold onto me. Should I come to your apartment?”

  “How about if we meet in Mill Valley instead. I’m standing outside my office and can order an Uber to get there. Tapping her phone, she scrolled through Marin County restaurants. There’s a Mexican place a couple of blocks from the church. Does that work for you?”

  “Sounds good.”

  She gave him the address. “I’ll meet you there.”

  “Raine?”

  “Yes?” She gripped her phone tighter as she stepped back to avoid a group of pedestrians hurrying up the sidewalk.

  “You made a smart choice, not a rash one. With your drive and determination, you’ll have a new plan for your life in no time. One that will make you a whole lot happier.”

  “I hope so, but this is turning out to be one hell of a day. I’m just glad you’ll be around to keep me from going off the deep end.”

  “So am I. See you soon.”

  “Bye, Levi.” She disconnected and then ordered an Uber. While she waited for her ride, she acknowledged just how much she was looking forward to spending time with him.

  Relying on him. Assuming he would be part of her future.

  They’d only reconnected two weeks before and had spent most of that time apart. She couldn’t help wondering if counting on a relationship with Levi was being more than a little presumptive. Or at least premature. The thought was sobering. As horns honked before traffic surged around her, she hoped she hadn’t made the biggest mistake of her life.

  * * * *

  Levi studied Raine across the table at Casa Picante while he steadily ate homemade chips and to-die-for salsa. She’d barely touched the basket between them, and the expression in her beautiful, green eyes reminded him of the dogs in the shelter where he’d worked back in high school. His response to her was exactly the same—a deep-seated urge to take her home and protect her.

  He reached over to twine her cold fingers between his. “You’ve got this, Raine.”

  “Do I? Since I can’t afford rent if I’m not working, I called my landlord while I was on my way here to see if I could get out of my lease at the end of the month. He has a waiting list a mile long, so he agreed. Which means I’m not only going to be jobless come July, but also homeless.”

  “Put your furniture in storage and stay with me.”

  “That sounds like fun, but it isn’t a permanent solution. I need to find work, and I can’t do that from the middle of nowhere—no offense.”

  “None taken.” He released he
r hand when the server arrived with two steaming plates of food that smelled so good his stomach growled.

  “Be careful. They’re hot.” She set down their meals. “Anything else I can get for you? Another margarita, sir?”

  Levi glanced at his nearly empty glass and Raine’s still full one. “No, I’m good. This looks terrific. Thanks.”

  She gave him a bright smile. “Enjoy your lunch.”

  After the woman departed, he picked up his fork. “Our lodge isn’t that isolated. Sure, it’s out in the woods, but Truckee is only a half-hour drive. We have phone service and internet. Indoor plumbing, even.”

  His lame attempt at humor made her smile.

  “I guess I could stay for a while if I don’t find any employment opportunities with potential in the next couple of weeks. But I don’t like the idea of mooching off you.”

  “It’s not mooching if I invited you.” He took a bite of enchilada and groaned. “God, this is good. Eat your tacos, Raine. You’re going to need sustenance to get through this afternoon.”

  Lifting her glass, she gulped her margarita. “What with stressing over quitting my job, I almost forgot why we’re here today.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “I’ll get through the next couple of hours and then worry about my life.”

  “Or we can work out a viable plan right now. You once mentioned starting your own business. You should do that. In Truckee.” He ate another bite before continuing, “The Tahoe-Truckee area is a hotbed for parties and weddings. Wealthy second home owners have money to burn. With some solid advertising and word of mouth endorsements from friends in the community, you’d have more business than you could handle in no time.”

  She bit off a bite of taco and frowned. “You think?”

  “Not think. Know. A friend of mine is getting married. They had to plan a fall wedding instead of summer because the event coordinator his fiancée wanted was booked solid. Normally, I don’t pay much attention when he unloads his pre-marital woes, but that tidbit caught my attention because I thought of you.”